Empty stands Humble Sydney

[Coxy]

It makes a mockery of the statement that Sydney is the heartland of rugby league when they won't support an international game.

It's for that reason that there should be no guilt felt by the administrators by plucking teams and big games away from Sydney.

 

[Emma]

I agree with you to an extent Coxy. My only problem is that to take an origin game when origin is supported, is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

[bigjim]

Just look at the attendance averages for the three Queensland teams.
I would guess, without any doubt, they are higher than any team in NSW.
The problem they have in Sydney is the league pie is being cut into to many slices to give anybody a decent slice.

As far as SOO games or International games, stop telecasting direct or delayed. Broadcast the game next day or next week. That will get the turkeys out of their hutches.

As far as ARL games go, move a couple of teams with under attendances to areas were they will be better appreciated.

Let's face it though, there is nowhere that loves its league like Queensland.

 

[Coxy]

Let's face it though, there is nowhere that loves its league like Queensland.

Papua New Guinea! icon_thumbs_u

 

[bigjim]

Let's face it though, there is nowhere that loves its league like Queensland.

Papua New Guinea! icon_thumbs_u

Have to take that one on advice. [icon_shru

 

[Coxy]

Papua New Guinea remains the only country in the world that lists Rugby League as its national sport.

If you ever get a chance to see some footage of a test between Australia and PNG in the early 1990s it's phenomenal! There's people literally hanging from tree branches trying to get in and watch.

 

[rnabokov]

I reckon we should compare the overall standing of Rugby League as an international sport to soccer, and to a lesser extent, Union.

What a FARCE!

Let's just compare League, more or less, to AFL, and agree it's real strength is local - despite the odd pretences to greatness by England, and NZ - where most of its strength comes from NRL.

Sheesh - 4 countries, 2 or which play largely sub-standard League, and we dare call it an international sport?

In Soccer, Australia v Namibia would most likely draw a larger crowd than most international League games.

 

[Hamm.0]

Papua New Guinea remains the only country in the world that lists Rugby League as its national sport.

In the Solomons, we had a PNG Platoon as part of our Company. I played quite alot of touch and Oztag with them. They LOVE RL, most love the Broncos and QLD.

The authorities actually block broadcasting the games to certain areas (mainly the highlands and Eastern Provinces) because villages actually kill each other over Origin!!!!!

Crazy Mo-fo's. Kumuls are real muthaf*&kin G's!!!!!!!!!

 

[mick]

Just look at the attendance averages for the three Queensland teams.
I would guess, without any doubt, they are higher than any team in NSW.

Almost.

FWIW, top eight in 2008 averages thus far:

1. Broncos - 38,658
2. Bulldogs - 24,280
3. Titans - 23,178
4. Cowboys - 21,123
5. Knights - 19,561
6. Rabbitohs - 18,510
7. Parramatta - 16,897
8. Cronulla - 15,547

 

[Jeza23]

Just look at the attendance averages for the three Queensland teams.
I would guess, without any doubt, they are higher than any team in NSW.

Almost.

FWIW, top eight in 2008 averages thus far:

1. Broncos - 38,658
2. Bulldogs - 24,280
3. Titans - 23,178
4. Cowboys - 21,123
5. Knights - 19,561
6. Rabbitohs - 18,510
7. Parramatta - 16,897
8. Cronulla - 15,547

I know this isnt the thread about the rabbitohs, but to this shows they deserve to be in the competition as much as any other team. I mean they are 1-7 and have the 6th best crowd average in the league.

I do however believe they must improve their on and off field issues to become attractive to the high profile players and become successful again.

I believe in the saying "When souths are going well so is rugby league"

 

[mick]

Just look at the attendance averages for the three Queensland teams.
I would guess, without any doubt, they are higher than any team in NSW.

Almost.

FWIW, top eight in 2008 averages thus far:

1. Broncos - 38,658
2. Bulldogs - 24,280
3. Titans - 23,178
4. Cowboys - 21,123
5. Knights - 19,561
6. Rabbitohs - 18,510
7. Parramatta - 16,897
8. Cronulla - 15,547

I know this isnt the thread about the rabbitohs, but to this shows they deserve to be in the competition as much as any other team. I mean they are 1-7 and have the 6th best crowd average in the league.

I do however believe they must improve their on and off field issues to become attractive to the high profile players and become successful again.

I believe in the saying "When souths are going well so is rugby league"

Crowd support for Souths *started* well, as expected. They do all right, as Coxy stated in the other thread, for big ticket grudge matches, or when they're winning.

Even aside from all else, their sub 10k crowd for the Cowboys last weekend was appalling.

 

[Jeza23]

Whilst the cowboys crowd might have been appalling, the tigers crowd against us wasnt much better!

Only 11000 odd, to what I consider to be a big crowd pulling game for the tigs. As it turned out it was pretty close to the game of the season so far! [eusa_clap.gi

 

[mick]

But, in fairness, a game for the Tiges so far from their "home", at the abhorrent slot of 8.30pm on a Saturday night would've kept many families away.

As opposed to a home match on a sunny Sunday afternoon...

 

[Steve]

If the international game dies, rugby league in this country dies. State of Origin has, in the past 10-15 years, been the single biggest detriment to international league.

That Sydney fans are accepting that and are now saying the international game doesn't matter is cause for great alarm.

Sorry i disagree with that. The international game has been on the wane for a number of years and rugby league is still going well. I'd like to see a healthy international competition but IMO if it never delivers the game itself will suffer but it won't die.

 

[Coxy]

If the international game dies, rugby league in this country dies. State of Origin has, in the past 10-15 years, been the single biggest detriment to international league.

That Sydney fans are accepting that and are now saying the international game doesn't matter is cause for great alarm.

Sorry i disagree with that. The international game has been on the wane for a number of years and rugby league is still going well. I'd like to see a healthy international competition but IMO if it never delivers the game itself will suffer but it won't die.

Still going well IN AUSTRALIA. Take out the international game, and the game will almost certainly die in NZ very quickly.

The ESL will keep going, but in Australia, with the AFL taking a stranglehold nationwide, and the A-League on the rise, the NRL will slip further and further behind.

Rugby League needs a decent international competition to differentiate it from the AFL.

 

[mick]

That's just it - and there is SUCH a strong case for doing so now.

The Super 14 is getting weaker, which is really affecting RU's international game. See, this is how it's always been:

AFL - Very strong domestic comp. No international recognition to speak of.

NRL - Strong domestic comp, interest also in internationals.

Rugby Union - Weak domestic comp, strong international game.

We shouldn't just be looking for this to continue imo.

 

[Coxy]

Exactly Mick, because what we need to be aware of is A-League.

Although it's played in Summer at the moment, it's developing into a strong domestic competition, and if Australia can consistently make the world cup, then internationally there's no bigger team sport.

If Soccer takes off, I think only one Rugby code can survive...and either it's going to be a merged/hybrid game, or it's going to be Rugby Union.

Which absolutely shits me because Union is so inferior it's not funny!

 

[Coxy]

Frank doesn't care about rugby league. He cares about State of Origin. End of story.